Booted Eagle

Overview

The booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) is a medium-sized, mostly migratory bird of prey found across the Palearctic and southern Asia, with a small, disjunct breeding population in south-western Africa. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is a member of the family Accipitridae.

Identification

• Small eagle with a length of 40 cm and a wingspan of 110–132 cm; males weigh 510–770 g and females 840–1,025 g.
• Two distinct plumage forms exist: pale individuals are light grey with darker heads and flight feathers, while the mid-brown form features dark grey flight feathers.
• Call is a shrill kli-kli-kli.

Habitat

The species inhabits wooded, often hilly countryside with some open areas, breeding in rocky, broken terrain and often nesting in coniferous or deciduous woodlands. While northern populations are migratory and winter in the tropics of Africa and Asia, a small, sedentary breeding population exists in south-western Africa.

Diet

The booted eagle hunts on the wing, stooping quickly with wings folded and feet extended to capture small mammals, reptiles, and birds. In southern Africa, birds are noted as the most common prey, with studies also identifying lizards and rodents as key food sources.

Did you know?

The two discrete colour morphs of the booted eagle follow a Mendelian inheritance pattern, with the paler allele being dominant over the darker one.